Why We Lose Focus
There are several factors that can cause us to lose focus on a task. In this section, we will look at some of the most common reasons we lose focus and what we can do to overcome them.
Having Lots of Interests
When we are interested in a lot of different subjects or projects, our attention and efforts become scattered and we struggle to stay focused on one task or goal at a time. Try making a list of your different interests and activities and consciously narrow your focus to the ones that are most important right now.
Too Many Distractions
The world is full of distractions which can take away our focus from the task at hand – our colleagues chatting nearby, a bird outside the window, alerts on our mobile phone, cute cat videos on YouTube… the list is endless. Things like alerts on our mobile phones telling us that a message has arrived or that our post has been liked causes a “dopamine rush” in our brains which is highly addictive and therefore very distracting. Turning these alerts off is one way of mitigating against this potent source of distractions.
Take note of these and other things that distract you from your work and think about what you can do about them. If your colleagues’ conversations are distracting, try wearing headphones and listening to music when you need to focus. If the activities outside take too much of your attention, try turning your desk around or moving locations when you need to knuckle down.
Having Too Much to Do
An overfull to-do list is a major distraction in itself. We may end up flitting between tasks, under pressure to get everything done at once, and not be able to give our full focus to one thing. Taking time each day to identify your top 3 priority tasks can free up mental space and give you the chance to focus deeply on these 3 tasks before working on anything else.
Check out this short video (3 min) from Brian Tracy about identifying your priorities for success.
Struggling to Say ‘No’ to Projects or Favors
We receive so many invitations and requests throughout the day that we might start off focused on our top 3 priorities but by lunchtime, have another 3 things on our list that have stolen our focus! It is important to practice saying ‘no’ when we are asked to do things by other people if doing these things is going to take focus from our priorities.
At a minimum, have a conversation about the request and discuss whether it is important enough to shift your focus away from your top priorities. Understand that saying “yes” to a new request may mean having to say “no” to something else that you are working on. Make sure that you are clear on what is a priority for you to focus on.
Not Having Clear Boundaries Around Our Time
When we set aside time to focus on a specific task or project, it is crucial that we hold those boundaries and don’t allow other things to take up that time, or other people’s priorities to override our own. Blocking time in our calendar for focused work can prevent us from filling up the space we need for a task, and making use of ‘do not disturb’ or ‘mute’ functions on our messaging services and phone makes sure we are not distracted after we start.
Living with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
Living with ADD can bring extra challenges around focus. You may struggle to concentrate and feel restless with too much energy. Dedicated organizations offer lots of strategies and suggestions for overcoming the challenges associated with ADD and focused work. Make good use of resources that are available to support you and let your colleagues and employer know if you need to make any changes to your working environment or practices to support you with this.
Not Planning Adequately or Going With the Flow
If we do not plan time to focus and create the conditions that support us to do so, we greatly diminish our chances of success. By simply going with the flow, we are less likely to encounter the structure and boundaries that support good focus. There are times when flexibility and flow are beneficial and times when we need some structure. Focus is a kind of discipline and it is supported by a few simple structures.
Bad Habits
A habit is a pattern of action that is difficult to break. We all have good habits that support our success and bad habits that hinder us. In order to change our habits, we must first become aware of them. Next, we must make a commitment to ourselves to change our habits and prepare a plan on how to do so. This might be a gradual change over time, like introducing a daily meditation practice which gets longer each week, or a sudden change like giving up cigarettes. As we make these changes, it helps to involve supportive people who can hold us accountable, and to keep a record of our progress for motivation on the tough days.